But the truth is that the whole story about the accident and design tour was just a joke.

Maarten Baas was born in Germany but grew up in The Netherlands, graduating from the renowned Design Academy of Eindhoven. He is well known for his Smoke Series, for which he literally burned iconic furniture pieces including some classics from Rietveld, Eames and Gaudi. Since 2005 he has worked with Bas Den Herder in their studio at Hertogenbosch.

A faithful contributor to Dutch Design Week, Baas takes the yearly opportunity to show his latest and most quirky creations at the grand show. For the last edition — which finished a couple of weeks ago — he created a tragic but humorous story that got everybody’s attention and left some people shocked. Baas’ public spot consisted of a white van that seemed to have crashed onto a lamp post right next to Eindhoven’s central train station.

But the truth is that the whole story about the accident and design tour was just a joke. By peeking through the van’s top window, people could discover the van’s interior and enter Baas’ magical design world. Inside the van, there was a whole setting full of his designs and it looked like somebody was actually living there.

Many pieces of Baas’ Clay Furniture collection were on site, together with a desk full of stuff, some clothes on a hanger and illuminated lamps. Burnt out matches, plants with flowers and a beautiful tapestry inspired by nature were also part of the installation. Even tea and an orange that seemed to have been just eaten left people confused and wondering if somebody actually was living inside the van (and maybe just popped out to the shops!)

A cheeky charlatan, an exceptional storyteller or a design genius, Maarten Bass’ Unexpected Interaction at Dutch Design Week demonstrates that modern design is really about creating new stories.